


Admit It

by squiggid



Category: Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: Alcohol, Boys Being Boys, Control, Friends With Benefits, Hook-Up, Jealousy, KBDN, M/M, Raihan’s Incessant Flirting, Rejection, Unrequited Crush
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-06
Updated: 2020-03-06
Packaged: 2021-02-28 16:34:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,821
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23040295
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/squiggid/pseuds/squiggid
Summary: The thought occurs to him with a bit of a start. They’ve been hooking up on and off for a good bit now, and it’s been understood that they’re not exclusive. But suddenly, Leon can’t shake the thought of Raihan with someone else.
Relationships: Dande | Leon/Kibana | Raihan, Kibana | Raihan/Nezu | Piers
Comments: 35
Kudos: 128





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Planning to update this weekly! Please be patient. :)
> 
> If you like, please feel free to reach out to me on Twitter! I’d love to make some friends. Find me there at my name but with a j instead of a gg.

Leon can’t stop thinking about Raihan’s mouth.

It doesn’t help that he’s so expressive. It doesn’t help that he sneers a toothy sneer before they battle or that he has that silly smile, mouth wide, just before tossing his Dynamax ball behind him. It doesn’t help that every one of the guy’s pictures on Chatter features a toothy smile or a tongue sticking out—and he  uploads a new picture nearly every day.

It’d be one thing if it was just Raihan’s mouth and there was nothing else to it, but Leon knows what he can do with that mouth. He knows how Raihan can graze his teeth against the nape of his neck, lick the dip of his collarbone, kiss each of his ribs as he travels downward on his body. It’s hard to think about anything else when Raihan’s mouth is on him, as it is now, licking the inside of his hip—and he doesn’t want anyone else to feel this way but him.

The thought occurs to him with a bit of a start. They’ve been hooking up on and off for a good bit now, and it’s been understood that they’re not exclusive. They know the other has a busy schedule, and they only ever see each other a handful of times throughout the year around League season anyway. But suddenly, as Raihan’s mouth is kissing and sucking on his skin, Leon can’t shake the thought of his lover doing the same thing with someone else, some bloke or broad who isn’t him.

“W-wait—Rai—wait, stop—“

Raihan pulls back abruptly, wiping his mouth on the way. “What is it, what is it?”

“I....”

One look at Raihan’s face—flushed and frustrated—and he can’t do it. This isn’t like them, to bring stuff like this up. And anyway, what would he even say? What would Raihan say back? If he told him the truth, it could backfire, cause awkward tension, or just stop this altogether. He doesn’t want this to stop.

Leon swallows. “N-nothing.”

“You good?”

“Y-yeah.”

Raihan dips down a little, giving him a cautious look. “You sure?”

“I’m good.”

“... Okay.”

And then Raihan takes him deep in his mouth, and Leon shudders out a breath.

He’s so fucked.

—

It’s a curse. There’s no way to stop thinking about Raihan and his mouth, not when every interviewer asks about their rivalry, not when every fan who asks for a signature on his League card also has Raihan’s right underneath his, not when he sees picture after picture of Raihan and his smile on that dreadful app on his phone. He rarely puts his phone down now, always scrolling through Raihan’s photos, refreshing the app and hoping a new one pops up.

It all would be really quite awful if it isn’t for this odd feeling, this mixture of hope and yearning but also risk and worry, all wrapped up in mindless lust, of course.

It starts to become a habit, for him to pull out his phone when he normally isn’t one to be on it much. He pulls it out when he’s on the train, when he’s waiting for food to arrive, as he’s walking from place to place, which, of course, doesn’t help with his dreadful sense of direction.

One day he pulls it out as he’s waiting at a cafe for a friend, and he almost wishes he hadn’t.

There at the top of his Chatter feed is a picture of Raihan, with a tongue sticking out to the side, one arm raised, hand at an angled peace sign, and the other arm draped around the neck of another Gym Leader—Piers.

The caption reads: “Who wants to bet I can make this guy smile for once?”

Comments immediately flood his feed.

“Omg you two are so cute!”

“Make him smile for us please!”

“If anyone can make Piers smile, it’s you!”

A whirl of emotions hits Leon right in the gut, making his head spin and his heart pound. What does this caption mean? What does this picture mean? Could it just be a silly picture between friends, or is it something more? Everyone who knows Raihan knows he‘s a huge flirt, but they also know he‘s just fucking around. Leon would think that the guy is professional enough not to fuck his colleagues—but maybe not.

With a start, Leon suddenly realizes that, although he’s known the Gym Leaders for years now, he doesn’t know all too much about the Dark-type Gym Leader. Piers doesn’t show up to many get-togethers, so there isn’t much of a chance to get to know him.

Maybe there is something going on there that Leon doesn’t know about.

But is it any of his business? Why does it matter? Raihan can hook up with others or flirt with others, and it’s not a problem between him and Leon.

... right?

“Well, I’m glad you found the place on your own for once!”

Leon blinks and looks up from the table. Sonia, of course. He was at a cafe waiting for Sonia. He’d nearly forgotten.

The girl sees his lost expression and frowns. “At least you got here in body, but not in spirit. Oi, you all in there?”

“Y-yeah, hey, Sonia.”

“Well, come here and give me a hug, then.”

Leon lets out a shaky chuckle. “R-right.”

It’s a bit of an awkward hug at first, but after touching his long-time friend and smelling her homey scent—morning dew and flowers—he’s able to relax a bit.

The friend date is very much welcome, especially after so long of hopping from event to event, press conference to press conference. The easy laughter and in-jokes from childhood with an old friend are a refreshing break after fan after fan talking to him or about him as if he’s only Leon The Champion, not Leon the Boy Who Used to Herd Wooloo Every Day And Get Lost Doing So.

It’s all grand and well, but it’s still not enough to distract him from that bloody photo.

“You should have seen the look on Nessa’s face when she reeled in the fifth Arrokuda in a row,” Sonia says giggling.

“Mmhmm, Nessa, right,” Leon says, hoping this won’t be too much of a jump in their conversation. “Say, Sonia, you see Nessa quite often, don’t you?”

“Well, sure, we’re good friends.”

“So you see the other Gym Leaders regularly, as well?”

“I suppose you could say that,” Sonia says, frowning and twirling her hair around a finger. “Why do you ask?”

“I’m just wondering what you think about... Piers.”

“Piers?” Sonia’s frown deepens. “Why?”

“I’m just wondering,” Leon says, trying to think of something on his feet. “I realized he doesn’t come out to things much when we’re all together, and I was wondering why that was.”

Sonia takes a sip of her drink and then rests her head on a hand. “To be frank, I don’t know all too much about him, either. Apparently he’s too busy taking care of his sister and Spikemuth to do much dilly-dallying. He takes his job very seriously, it seems.”

“Mmm.”

“Anyway, this is all coming from Nessa, so it could be a bit of a biased account.” Sonia gestures with a hand. “Why don’t you ask him yourself?”

“Oh, no, I couldn’t,” Leon says, leaning back in chair. “Besides, he’s never around to ask, anyway.”

“Well, why don’t you ask Raihan, then?”

Leon freezes up a bit. “Raihan?”

“Sure, didn’t he just post a photo with him?” Sonia asks. “I saw it on your phone when I came in.”

“O-oh, you saw that, did you?” Leon stammers, clearing his throat. “I might, I don’t know.”

“The fastest way to get an answer is to go straight to the source,” Sonia says shrugging. “Right?”

“Right,” Leon says, looking down at his cup of tea. “Right...”


	2. Chapter 2

There aren’t many opportunities for Leon and Raihan to see each other off season. There’s the occasional event, charity, fundraiser, and then the steady increase of interviews and group showings as the League looms closer. But Leon can’t wait that long to see the man again. If he waits, who knows what could happen? Who knows what Raihan’s relationships with whoever else (like Piers) could change within the next few months until the start of the new league?

“... or there’s an event at Hammerlocke Stadium.”

Leon blinks. “What?”

His manager’s eyes peer over the top of her tablet. “Oh, good, I’m glad I finally have your attention after talking at you for nearly ten minutes now.”

“Sorry, Celes,” Leon says sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck.

Celes sighs and lowers her tablet. “You OK, Leon?”

“Yeah, of course, ‘m just distracted.” Leon clears his throat. “What’s that about Hammerlocke?”

Celes gives him a look before turning back to her tablet. “There’s a community event in Hammerlocke next weekend. Looks like it’s something for the kids.”

“And it’s at the stadium?”

“Sure, the team at the gym is hosting it.”

“Let’s go for that one.”

Another sharp look over the tablet. “Really?”

“Yeah, why?”

“Well, it’s not like you to participate in local community events...”

Laughing nervously, Leon says, “Well, there’s a first time for everything, right? Besides, it’d be good for me to get some face time in with the kids, yeah? For image and all that.”

“It would be...” Celes muses, obviously still stuck on his odd behavior. She‘s a perceptive one, but that’s what makes her such a good manager.

Finally, she straightens up and taps away on her tablet. “Fine, then next weekend it is. I’ll get some more information on the event and figure out how we’ll phrase this for the social team. Maybe try phoning your little brother beforehand to brush up on talking with children.”

“I get an excuse to chat with my favorite person in the world  and  work? What a deal,” Leon says, leaning back in his seat. “See, I knew you were my second favorite person in the world.”

She shoos him out of her office.

—

After two weeks of anxious waiting, the day finally comes when Leon sets foot in Hammerlocke. He steps into Hammerlocke Gym like he’s done a million times before, but never with this excited, aching feeling in his chest.

The Hammerlocke Gym crew members are strewn about setting up for the event, various tools and Pokémon posted at different stations. Leon scans the area, nodding at all the familiar crew members, until he locks eyes with Raihan.

Raihan, with his cool smile, all lanky limbs and half-lidded teal eyes as he walks over, swagger in every step.

God, he’s so fucked.

“Hey,” Raihan says, extending a hand.

“Hey yourself,” Leon replies, taking the hand and pulling him forward for a quick shoulder tap.

“I feel like I just saw you.”

“Really?” It feels like it’s been ages for Leon.

“Honestly, I was surprised when they said you’d be coming,” Raihan admits. “You’re too big to be coming out to local events like this.”

“Ah, well.” Leon shrugs. “Maybe it’s good for me to remember what grassroots is like. I wasn’t always the hotshot around here.”

“Mm, right, you are.” Raihan steps forward and lowers his voice. “Need me to remind you?”

Leon gulps.

Laughing, Raihan pats Leon on the shoulder. “Come on, the kids will be here any minute now. Help me with this football goal.”

It’s too bad Hop couldn’t be here—he would have loved it. But the event’s not for the type of enthusiastic, Pokémon-loving kind of kid he is; it’s for shy kids, those who have a hard time coming out of their shells, or those who’ve been scarred by an experience so young. Watching and helping the kids pet Ninetales, wash Sliggoo, play with Hakamo-o, and then slowly hearing the giggles and eventual squeals of joy bubble throughout the stadium all brings Leon right back to his childhood, filled with running around the farmlands and rolling on the hills alongside herds of Wooloo.

“You were a natural out there, Champ,” Raihan says, shutting the doors to the gym after the last of the children leave. “I’m impressed.”

Leon cracks a smile and shrugs. “Yeah, well, it helps when you have a little brother who loves Pokémon.”

Raihan steps toward Leon in the dimly lit entryway of his gym. “Loves Pokémon as much as he loves you?”

“You could say that.”

“Mm, I know someone else who feels that way.”

This. This is what Leon missed. This is what he wants all to himself.

Leon allows himself to be pushed to the stone wall of the gym. The kiss is rough, like Raihan’s trying to suck the breath out of him, and all Leon can think about is Raihan’s mouth and how talented it is and how he wants it all over his body.

“Now, when are you going to admit the real reason you came all the way out here?” Raihan rasps, biting Leon’s neck.

Leon barks a laugh and cranes his neck. “Never.”

“Oh?” Raihan bunches up Leon’s shirt in his hand. “Then I’ll have to make—”

“Raihaaan! Does anyone know where the bugger went off to?”

They pause.

“Is he skipping clean up duty? The nerve.”

“Come on, now, don’t doubt our fearless leader like that. He’s probably off taking a piss.”

A chuckle escapes Raihan’s lips. Taking a small step backward, he says, “We’ll have to continue this later.”

“R-right,” Leon says, letting out a laugh himself.

Raihan smoothes out his jacket and tucks his hands in the pockets. “You wanna grab dinner with us? We always split a pizza after these things.”

“Yeah, that sounds good.”

“All right.”

All throughout dinner, as the Gym Trainers are fighting over slices of pizza, breadsticks, and bottles of soda, Raihan plays the part of chaperone, mentor, and friend. It’s a juggling of roles that he handles with Leon as well—sometimes joking with him like they’re old mates and sometimes giving him knowing looks, sometimes slipping in an innuendo or two, sometimes giving him a pat on the shoulder that lasts a fraction of a second too long. It’s a dangerous dance of pulling and pushing, just enough to leave his peers oblivious and just enough to get Leon excited.

It’s not so coy when they’re finally in his hotel room, all alone. Clothes are ripped off, sheets pushed away, and Raihan’s mouth is all over him again. Even when he’s deep inside Leon, his mouth is still touching Leon’s ear, hot air puffing out with every thrust until he comes with a low groan.

“So,” Raihan says after they’ve cleaned up. “Are you going to admit you came all this way to see your favorite boy yet?”

Leon’s heart skips a beat. He’s still not sure if it’s the right time to say anything.

“Don’t get ahead of yourself.”

“Oho, he’s still not ready!” Raihan laughs, adjusting to his side to better have a look at Leon. “What do I have to do to make you come out with it, eh?”

Leon leans in a smidge, a smirk on his lips. “Wouldn’t you like to know.”

Raihan glances at Leon’s mouth and then back up at his eyes.

“I’ll get it out of you next time,” he says, winking. He starts getting off the bed. “I have to head back—I promised to take care of my mate’s Perrserker while he’s on holiday, and he has a very specific snack schedule, the spoiled bastard.”

“When can I see you again?”

Raihan gives him a look after pulling on his hoodie. Damn, Leon said that too fast, didn’t he? A bit too eager, wasn’t it?

An amused smile quirks up the edges of Raihan’s mouth. Slowly, he says, “I am a lucky guy to have the Champion asking for my schedule, aren’t I?”

Leon can do nothing but shrug.

Raihan shoves his hands in his jacket pockets and cocks his head to the side. “Hmm, I was planning on going to Piers’ gig next weekend. Want to come with?”

Piers.

He’d nearly forgotten.

Nearly.

That bloody picture flits through his mind, Raihan with one arm draped around Piers’ neck, tongue sticking out to the side. Piers looking bored as usual but still, admittedly, good. That fucking caption, egging him on, challenging him.

Leon’s tone comes out a little too flat. “Didn’t know you two were such chaps.”

Raihan finishes kicking on his shoes before heading to the door. “Oh, yeah, well, ‘colleague’ is a tad cold, innit? ‘sides, we’ve known each other for a good bit now, so yeah, I’d say we’re friends.”

Friends. Is that all?

Raihan opens the door to the hotel room and turns toward Leon. “I’ll see you at Spikemuth?”

Oh, he’ll see him, all right. No matter what his manager has planned for him that weekend, he’ll make sure he’s at that concert.

Leon nods. “I’ll be there.”


	3. Chapter 3

No, he hasn’t been thinking about this concert all week. No, he hasn’t been thinking about Piers with his sunken eyes and his hooded eyeshadow and that bloody choker that screams he’s experienced. He hasn’t been thinking how Piers and that don’t-fuck-with-me-but-you-know-you-want-to attitude is exactly what would draw Raihan in, what he would view as a challenge.

When Leon finally arrives at the gig in the dodgy town of Spikemuth, he searches through the sea of fans with a sense of urgency, desperately hoping he’ll find who he’s looking for before someone else does.

“Oi!”

Leon turns. There’s Raihan, walking toward him, dressed in a navy button down and a pair of dark trousers. It could be a casual look, but for someone who usually wears a hoodie and shorts, it’s clear that he’s put some thought into what he’d wear tonight.

Why? Who did he dress up for? For Leon or for Piers?

“Hey,” Leon says finally when Raihan is within earshot. “You look... good.”

“Thanks,” Raihan says, that now-familiar amused smile on his lips again. “You don’t look half bad yourself. Come on, let’s head backstage.”

There aren’t too many people backstage, and, truth be told, it’s not too showy of a backstage area, comparatively. But Spikemuth isn’t a town known for its decadence, so it’s understandable.

“It is a bit stingy of Piers to still make us pay entry fees,” Raihan admits after making himself a drink at the bar. “But you have to respect the guy for not cutting corners for the sake of his town.”

“You‘ve been to his gigs before, then?”

“When I can. He hasn’t had much time to play around lately, what with taking care of his sister and all.”

Play around? What did that mean?

Raihan straightens up and nods to something over his shoulder. “Ah, here he is.”

Hesitantly, Leon turns. He really doesn’t see Piers often at events, and it’s a bit intimidating to see him up close. There he is, with his dark makeup and his full hair and his belt that threatened to fall off any second now.

But his attitude doesn’t fit any of that rockstar demeanor. Piers goes from person to person, making sure everyone’s comfortable.

“Thanks for coming out, I know you’re busy—Glad to see you made it here safe—Have you fixed yourself up a drink? Please do.”

“Pieeers!” Raihan calls playfully.

Piers glances over and then heads toward them.

“Good to see you, Raihan,” he says. He nods at Leon. “And you brought the big man himself.”

“Just like I said I would!” Raihan chirps with that dopey smile of his.

Piers gives Leon an earnest look. “Thanks for comin’ out, man, I really appreciate it.”

“Oh, no worries,” Leon says, a bit taken aback. He wasn’t expecting this.

Piers continues, “No, really, you brought a lot of fans to the show tonight. I owe you one.”

“Stop exploiting the Champion, Piers, or I’ll tell the Chairman on you.”

Piers shoots Raihan a side-eye. “It’s not an exploit; it’s a genuine business, an’ one that my hometown depends on.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever you say, big man.”

Rolling his eyes, Piers starts walking backwards toward the door. “I have to get on stage. Make yourselves comfortable and enjoy the show. And if this guy gives you any trouble, feel free to kick ‘im out.”

“I love you, too, Piers.”

“Cheers.”

“Kill it out there!”

“I always do.”

The crowd roars as Piers enters the stage. Smiling to himself, Leon lets out a sigh of relief he hasn’t realized he’d been holding. 

The conversation just now was just a fun banter between close friends—no sexual tension, nothing more. And Piers was a genuine guy. Despite his appearance, he isn’t some sort of sex god waiting for his prey.

He’d been wrong. There‘s nothing to worry about.

“Eh, it’s too bad that guy’s no fun anymore.”

Leon pauses.

“Pardon?”

Sighing, Raihan raises his drink to his lips. “We used to get pissed and fuck around back here before he went out on stage. Now he’s a proper suit, that one.”

Leon turns back to the stage as Piers starts his first song, doubt settling into the pit of his stomach once again. “Used to”? How long ago was that? What did they do when they were pissed? What does “fuck around” mean?

Every time Piers thrusts his hand in the air, Leon thinks about how he could have done the same with a can of beer in his hand backstage with Raihan. Every time he grips the mic hard and yanks the stand forward, Leon thinks about him gripping the front of Raihan’s hoodie and pulling him forward. Raihan has his talented mouth, but Piers has his hands—those long, bony fingers—and the combination of those two is dangerous.

Leon shakes his head. Maybe it’s fine. Maybe he’s worrying over nothing. After all, it’s not like Raihan said they “fucked” backstage; “fuck around” is different. He still hasn’t explicitly said they’ve done anything sexual. And even then, he said “used to.” Maybe it’s all in the past. Maybe they’re just friends now, without benefits.

Maybe.

By the time the concert ends, Leon’s had his fair share of drinks, and, from the looks of the empty cups littering the counter, Raihan has, too. The guests backstage hang around long enough to say good job and thank you to the star of the show, who looks exhausted but is still doing his best to be a good host.

Raihan, on the other hand, has other plans.

“Piers, love,” Raihan sing-songs, arms outstretched. “Come to your boy.”

Piers says goodbye to a guest and then walks over to them by the side of the room. 

“Thanks again for coming, Leon,” he says, again, earnestly, if a bit more tired this time.

“Sure, no problem.” Leon tries his best to hold back any contempt in his tone. “Good job out there.”

“Thanks.”

“Aw, no ‘thank you’ to me?” Raihan whines, pouting. “We used to be so close. Now it’s like I don’t even know you anymore.”

Piers glances over Raihan’s general state. “I think you should go home.”

“You don’t want to hang around?” Raihan suggests, walking closer to the star. “Not like we used to do?”

Leon’s gut clenches.

“Come on,” Raihan croons. He places a hand on the wall beside Piers and lowers his voice in a tone all too familiar with Leon. “We can still have fun, babe.”

There it is. That tone, that hand, those words. That move that he’s used on Leon too many times before. It’s all the confirmation he needed. 

After all this time wondering, Leon doesn’t know if he wanted the answer.

Piers catches a glimpse of Leon’s face over Raihan’s shoulder. Patting Raihan’s arm, he says curtly, “Maybe you should pay a little less attention to me and a little more to your date.”

“My date?”

Raihan turns. His face, screwed up in genuine confusion, falls in realization, shock, and horror when he sees Leon.

Piers takes that as his cue to leave them in the room alone.

As soon as the door shuts, Raihan starts.

“Leon, I—”

“Don’t—” Leon bites back, holding up a hand. “Don’t bother. I’m going home.”

He’s never slammed a door shut so hard in his life. 


	4. Chapter 4

Raihan is pissed off for so many reasons.

For one, he feels like he’s the bad guy here, and he never likes feeling like he’s the bad guy. Even when PR was trying to figure out how to frame his and Leon’s rivalry, he made a point to tell them not to write him as the bad guy. Sure, everyone wants to root for the Champion, but that doesn’t mean he has to be the villain.

But after Piers’ comment and that distraught look on Leon’s face, he feels like he did something wrong.

But that’s all kinds of rich—how was he to know that Leon had thought it’d been a date? Of course that wasn’t his intention. He’d taken plenty of girls and blokes on dates before; he’s not an idiot, he knows not to flirt with someone else in front of his date. But how was he to know?

On the same train of thought, how was he to know that the Champion fancies him at all? And when did that start? Was that why he’d come to Hammerlocke the weekend prior? In hindsight, yes, the signs were there, but he’d thought it was just harmless flirting, like usual. He wouldn’t have flirted so blatantly with him, and he certainly wouldn’t have hooked up with him if he’d known. Leon was his mate, and Raihan didn’t want to lead him on.

At the same time, even if Leon—or anyone else, for the matter—has feelings for him, it’s not like he’s not allowed to see other people. He’s allowed to do whatever he likes, actually, thanks very much. It’s something that’s been understood between him and Leon, so why should that change now? Because Leon has a little boy’s crush on him?

The cherry on the top of it all is not getting any that night. Raihan had been planning on going to Piers’ gig, sure, in order to support his friend, but he can’t deny that there was a hope of maybe rekindling something they used to have. When Leon had asked what he was up to, Raihan thought, well, even if things went south with Piers, he still had Leon, Leon with this new curious but refreshing interest in him.

Except his plan backfired in the worst possible way. But again—how was he to know any of this?

The aching feeling of guilt in his gut feels unwarranted, and it frustrates him beyond belief.

—

He takes a few days to cool off, train hard, and maybe take some long rides on Flygon flying aimlessly over the Wild Area before the guilt starts nestling a bit too cozily in his heart.

Leon is his mate. They’ve been friends for so long now, and Raihan doesn’t want things to fall apart here.

It’s a bit hard to track him down. He’s not as active on social media as you’d expect the Champion to be. Their paths already don’t cross as often off-season, and with what happened, the guy’s probably going out of his way to avoid Hammerlocke and Gym Leader gatherings.

It’s a few weeks later when something finally comes up: some gala at Wyndon with representatives from various regions. There’s no doubt that the Chairman would go with his most dazzling asset, the Champion. It wouldn’t be hard to ask to tag along... or to show up unannounced, even.

... Yeah, that‘s more his style.

On the night of the event, Raihan shows up at the venue in a tuxedo that was hiding away at the back of his closet, fashionably late, as is his custom.

To be quite honest, Raihan hates these posh mixers. He’s not one for dressing up, and he’ll take fish and chips over caviar any day of the week. But sacrifices have to be made to save friendships.

The real challenge is seeing how far he can get wading through the crowd before someone recognizes him. There’s a few familiar faces he recognizes, and certainly some Gym Leaders from other regions he’s dying to speak with, but he has to keep a low profile if he wants to dodge—

“Raihan!”

He groans and turns around.

Oleana. Perfect.

“I thought that was you,” Oleana says in that sharp, disapproving tone of hers. “Why are you here? Never mind that, come with me.”

“But—”

“I thought we were in the pits when we’d lost Leon, but with you here, we may be able to salvage this.”

Raihan pauses. “You lost Leon?”

“He left for the loo around ten minutes ago, and he hasn’t been back since, probably got lost on the way—what are you still standing around here for? Come on!”

With a loud groan, he follows Oleana. For the next ten minutes or so, he’s shoved into conversations, taking pictures, shaking hands. Raihan isn’t as traditionally charming as Leon is, but he’s still able to make a good impression.

“Good to see you, Raihan,“ Chairman Rose murmurs as the two pose for a picture.

“Likewise.”

“Care to tell me what you’re doing here?”

Raihan freezes. As kindhearted as the Chairman acts in public, he’s actually quite scary.

After a brief pause, Raihan says lightly, “I’d heard that Lance would be here.”

“You could have asked to come along, but instead you took the liberty of showing up unannounced.” Chairman Rose’s jaw sets. “Are you avoiding me?”

“No.”

“Hmm, avoiding someone else, then?”

Raihan shifts uncomfortably.

Chairman Rose silently thanks the camera man and then turns toward Raihan, still not making eye contact with him. 

“Whatever you did to Leon, fix it and bring him back.” He nods at the crowd of well-dressed people. “I need him.”

“Yes, sir,” Raihan breezes, a bit cheekily, doing a little two-fingered salute before leaving. It’s a bit annoying to take orders, but it’s also the perfect excuse to get away, so he’ll take it.

The gala is at one of those old theaters with winding staircases and inconveniently placed bathrooms. It’s easy to get lost in a place like this, whether you have a terrible internal compass or not. Raihan checks everywhere, upstairs, downstairs, and he’s about to give up when he thinks of the one place he hasn’t checked, and the one place Leon definitely is.

After making his way all the way out of the venue, Raihan tosses a Pokéball in the air. With a flash of light, Flygon straightens up and cocks its head at his owner.

“Sorry to bother you, mate,” Raihan says, hitching a leg up and around Flygon’s back. “All we’re doin’ is goin’ straight up.”

One, two, three big flaps from Flygon, and they’re both high in the cool night sky, just high enough to see the roof of the venue.

And who else is there but Charizard and the Champion, also in a tux.

“Raihan,” Leon acknowledges, surprised, eyes wide.

“I caught you,” Raihan returns.

“What are you doing here?”

Raihan takes a minute to land smoothly on the rooftop and return his Pokémon before responding. “You know, I hate these posh circle jerks as much as the next person, but you have to admit: the champagne is pretty ace.”

“Why are you here, Raihan?”

“Why do you think?”

Leon gives him a look and then sighs.

They sit at the edge of the roof next to each other for a bit, just them and the cool air, the only words spoken between them Leon returning Charizard to its Pokéball.

Raihan takes in a deep breath and then says it.

“I’m sorry.”

A brief glance to the side. “‘s all good.”

The previously relaxed silence between them is suddenly tense and awkward.

What were they supposed to do now? Where did they go from here? Did they keep on as friends, as if nothing ever happened?

Just before the silence gets to be too much, Leon breaks it.

“How long are you in town for?”

Raihan leans back on his hands. “I don’t know, I didn’t book a room or anything.”

“You just threw on a tux and flew over to Wyndon to say sorry?”

Raihan’s face burns. “Okay, it was a haphazard plan, I admit.”

Leon lets out a small laugh before turning to Raihan more fully. “Have you got any plans for tomorrow?”

Raihan turns to Leon, too. “Not really, no.”

“Meet me by the Rose Hotel, then,” Leon says. “Around lunch time.”

Lunch. Sure. He owes it to Leon to get lunch with him.

Raihan nods. “See you then.”

—

There’s a bit of a moment where Raihan doesn’t quite know what to wear. Is this a date? After what happened, it’s probably not. Where are they going for lunch? Should he dress up?

He ops for a black shirt and a light jacket in hopes that it’s just casual enough to look clean but not too much to look like he put effort into it.

It‘s a good choice, Raihan thinks—until he walks into the lobby of the Rose Hotel and sees Leon.

With his hair in a high ponytail, Leon is stretched out over a couch in a shirt that’s a little too tight for him so it shows off his toned body. Without his usual cap to hide some of his face, there’s no mistaking the light in his eyes when he sees Raihan.

“Hey,” Leon says, standing up.

“Hey.”

“I lied, we’re not going out for lunch—not really.”

“Oh?”

“Follow me.”

There’s a market in town this weekend, it turns out, celebrating 50 years since the construction of the Wyndon Eye and the burst of tourism that came with it. Music and laughter fill the air as people weave through stands from local pastry shops to fresh juices.

Leon is almost like a little kid, excited to try everything and taste everything. He insists on buying the two of them various foods, simply based on how delicious they look or how intriguing the description is.

“‘Chocolate, Cheese, and Marshmallow Cream-Filled Hot Pastry Pocket,’” Leon reads at a stand. “That’s certainly a combination.”

“I dare you to eat it.”

“Only if you’ll have a bite, too.”

It’s a phrase that could easily be flirty, the foundation to a hookup in the bathroom of a nearby restaurant or other. But Leon says it in such a friendly, casual tone that it’s clear he’s not going in that direction.

Leon orders the pastry and bites into it, gooey chocolate and marshmallow cream bursting from the pocket. The white marshmallow cream on Leon’s upper lip is inviting, almost begging Raihan to kiss it.

But Leon just smiles and holds out the pastry for him to try, mouth filled with chocolatey goodness. “‘s not bad. Have yourself a bite.”

After eating their way through the festival, they find themselves at a park. Some other trainers have let their Pokémon out and running about, so Raihan and Leon do the same. It’s nice to sit and watch them play about rather than training tirelessly with them to the point of exhaustion. It’s a soft, relaxing moment that they haven’t had the opportunity to share with each other for a while now, not since they were kids running around the region for a stab at the tournament themselves.

They’ve known each other for a long time, haven’t they?

“Oh, almost forgot, there’s a fantastic ice cream spot around here,” Leon says, hopping off the bench the two were sitting on. “I’ll get you a cone.”

“Hey, it’s fine, we just ate a lot.”

“Don’t be silly, it’s on me. Coffee ice cream, right?”

“R-right...” Raihan manages to get in before Leon turns the corner. Coffee ice cream, huh. They really have known each other for a long time.

There is a thought, though, as the two of them are eating ice cream and watching their Pokémon play at the park, where Raihan wonders where all of this is going. What’s Leon’s plan? Does he have one? Does he just want to hang out as friends? Is this chaste meetup the signal of an end of their hookup era? If so, that’s sort of sad, as the sex is very good. But these things happen.

It’s not until after the movie, when Leon invites him to dinner, does Raihan figure it out.

It’s a nice restaurant: outside seating, dim lighting, light noise and music—something certainly different from the dingy bars they’re used to frequenting together.

“This is a nice place,” Raihan comments.

“Yeah,” Leon says, pleased with himself. “I found it a while ago, and I’ve always wanted to take someone here.”

And that’s when it clicks.

It’s a date. It’s all been a date.

After the disaster of a “date” Raihan took him on, this was Leon taking things into his own hands. This whole day has been Leon showing Raihan how he feels and how serious he is with his feelings, how it’s more than just a casual hookup here or there or a friends with benefits sort of relationship they’ve been having. 

Leon really does fancy him. And quite a lot, apparently.

But what does that mean? What should Raihan do now that he knows this? He mulls it over while pushing potatoes around on his plate. How does he feel toward Leon? Well, he’s his mate, of course. And the sex is fantastic, he won’t lie.

But going steady? Being exclusive with him? Being his, dare he say, boyfriend? 

Does he want that?

They finish their meal with Raihan doing his best to stay engaged in the conversation.

“Wow, it’s gotten pretty dark, hasn’t it?” Leon notes, looking up at the night sky once they step outside the restaurant.

“Yeah, well.” Raihan gives him a little nudge. “Someone’s kept us busy all day.”

“Did you not have fun?”

Raihan takes in Leon’s thoughtful look. “No, I did, I had fun.”

“Good.”

Raihan looks to the sky and stretches his arms over his head. “Well, Mr. Champion, anything else on the agenda?”

“I was thinking you could come over?”

Their eyes meet. Leon’s golden eyes are clearer than ever, full of genuine emotion, honesty, and hope.

Raihan can’t break the heart of someone who wears theirs on their sleeve.

But he can’t lie either.

Quietly, Raihan says, “I don’t think I should.”

He can’t go over to Leon’s now. If he did, it would mean too much, it would seal the deal. And he’s not quite ready for that yet, if at all.

Realization washes over Leon’s eyes, only to be replaced by muted hurt and disappointment.

“O-OK,” he stammers.

“I just,” Raihan starts before he can help himself, “I don’t want to lead you on.”

“It’s OK, I get it.” Leon’s pursed lips twist into a tight smile. “See you around?”

“Yeah,” is all Raihan can say.

The air is suddenly cold.


	5. Chapter 5

If Raihan felt like the bad guy before, he feels like the privileged fuck now.

He’s used to rejecting people. He’s even sort of developed a script for it, for the girl or lad he meets at a club or a bar or a party gone too wild. It’s sad, but it’s necessary to keep a boundary.

But this isn’t just some random chick this time. This is the fucking Champion, the pride and joy of the Galar region. If there were royalty, he’d be the prince.

The number of people who would kill to be in his spot, and he’d just turned it down. The absolute privilege he had.

But it had to be done, especially after seeing the way Leon looked at him. Those eyes filled with pure hope and brimming with a warmth that Raihan hasn’t seen directed at him for a long time. He can’t return that energy, so he doesn’t deserve that amount of attention and care. It wouldn’t be fair to Leon.

He’s been so used to automatically rejecting people for years now, because he knows that, with how busy he is and all the responsibilities he has, he can’t give people what they want in a fulfilling relationship. But maybe Leon, with his equally turbulent schedule, would understand. Maybe? But he still didn’t return Leon’s feelings, not like that, so that wouldn’t be fair. Right? Right.

... right?

“Careful, if you drink too much of that, there won’t be any for the rest of us.”

Raihan looks up. It’s Nessa—full makeup, dressed nice, looking beautiful and sexy as always. Usually she’s a fair bit overdressed, but considering this is the main photo shoot and interview tour leading up to the start of the new season, her extravagance is fitting for once.

Nessa adds, “You know it’s non-alcoholic, right?”

Raihan looks down at his cup of punch, maybe the fifth he’s downed in the last half hour. He’s been hovering near the catering, lost in thought, as the photographers get set up.

“What, this?” Raihan says absentmindedly. “Oh, hah, yeah, course.”

Nessa gives him a look and then pours herself a cup as well. In a mocking tone, she chides, “Aww, what’s wrong, love, broken another poor girl’s heart again?”

Raihan scoffs, starting to smile a bit. “Oh, shut up.”

“Looks like she really got you this time,” she continues, taking a sip of her drink. “What are moping around for? Isn’t this, like, second nature to you by now?”

“Why are you so mean to me?” Raihan says, cracking more of a smile. “What did I do to deserve this harassment?”

“You exist,” Nessa says matter-of-factly, but there’s a hint of a smirk on her lips. It’s always been like this between them, this brother-sister relationship. “You with your Dragon-type Pokémon up in that castle of yours—you think you’re some hotshot around here.”

“I am the hotshot around here,” Raihan teases.

“Oh, please, if only all the girls saw what a complete tosser you are, they wouldn’t come flocking to you like Wooloo.” Nessa takes another sip of her drink. “I should tell them, you know. Then you wouldn’t be sittin’ around actin’ wounded when you’re the one doing the damage.”

Raihan can’t think of a smart quip for that one, so all he does is lower his head and say, “Yeah.”

Nessa waits a beat and then cocks her head. “This one was different, then?”

“Yeah, one of a kind.”

“Then why’d your reject her?”

Raihan sighs. “I don’t know.”

“Well, figure it out, then,” Nessa says curtly before downing her drink. “Because I can’t stand looking at you like this, it’s actually annoying.”

Raihan can’t help but let out a great laugh at that. “Appreciate it, thanks, darling.”

“Don’t call me that,” Nessa says breezily, throwing the bird over her shoulder as she heads over to the photo shoot area.

As rude as Nessa was about it, she does have a point. He needs to sort out his shit.

—

Things start getting busy as the new Galar League starts revving into gear. More and more interviews are scheduled, and all eight of the Gym Leaders are making public appearances together more.

Sometimes the Champion is in the mix, too, but he always disappears as soon as he comes. Maybe it’s intentional, maybe it’s not—Raihan’s never really paid close attention to Leon’s activity during these things to really know if it’s any different than usual. Either way, even if Raihan knew what he wanted to say to Leon at this point, he wouldn’t be able to. 

Maybe it’s a blessing in disguise. Maybe they just need some time and distance.

But maybe if he waits too long, it’ll only get worse.

Just when it gets to the edge of feeling like it could be too long, there’s a celebratory party over by Motostoke. It’s for the investors, to celebrate all the money they’ve been able to raise for this year’s Champion Cup, and of course all the Gym Leaders and staff are invited.

What starts as a respectable hors d’oeuvre and wine reception turns into an afterparty with dark lights, pumping music, and beautiful women. Usually, Raihan would thrive in a place like this, but it feels wrong to enjoy himself so blissfully at such a time.

Everyone else seems to be enjoying themselves, though. Milo’s chatting with a nice girl over a drink. Nessa’s dancing with a strong-looking man.

Even... even...

What?

Amidst the crowd of writhing bodies, dresses, and loosened shirts, is Leon, arms snug around a girl’s slim waist from behind, face buried in her neck.

It feels like the wind has been knocked out of Raihan. Here he is, agonizing over their relationship, trying to figure out how to mend things between the two of them—meanwhile, Leon’s over there getting it off with some chick. While the last few days have been torture for Raihan, everything’s been just bright and dandy for Leon. He seems to have gotten over things quickly, or gotten over him quickly, at least—and what fucking nerve, really, to get over him so fast? Him, Raihan, who could get anyone in the world, who’d managed to charm the Champion, no less, and Leon had the gall to dance with somebody else.

In a fit of frustration, Raihan turns a heel and storms out of the room. He’s halfway down the hall when he smacks right into Piers coming out of the bathroom.

“Oof!”

“Whoa, sorry, mate,” Piers says. He pauses upon properly looking at the state his friend is in. “You all right?”

Piers. The last time Raihan saw him, it was at his concert, when he was trying to hook up with the guy, when Leon was there with him, when he learned that Leon liked him. Leon, who’s back there rubbing his crotch against someone who isn’t him.

“Piers.” Raihan drops a hand on Piers’ shoulder. “You’ve got to help me.”

Piers glances over Raihan’s desperate state. “I don’t know if that’s such a good idea.”

“Piers,” Raihan presses, squeezing Piers’ shoulder and dipping his head in a bit. “Please.”

One, two seconds of Piers’ dark, focused gaze, clearly battling with himself about what to do, before he says, “Fine.“

He opens the door to the bathroom he’d just left.

They’re both too good for a bathroom fuck, but Raihan can’t be bothered to care at the moment. As soon as they shut the stall door behind them, Raihan leans in for a kiss—but a slap of a cold hand on his mouth stops him.

“You must have forgotten what it’s like to fuck me,” Piers says through gritted teeth. He shoves Raihan against the other side of the stall. “I’m the one in charge here. Got it?”

Any other time, and Raihan would be enjoying the thrill of having the control taken away from him, but he’s too distracted to really care.

With a shaky breath, he nods quickly. “Okay.”

“Good,” Piers says before pulling him down for a kiss.

The kiss is nothing like a kiss with Leon. It’s rough, too rough, and Piers’ tongue feels different, like a snake in his mouth. Raihan reaches a hand out, but Piers grabs it and keeps it in place. With his other hand, he snakes underneath Raihan’s shirt and drags his nails against his skin.

Just as Raihan is starting to get into it, the bathroom door opens. It seems like Piers is happy to keep going, but he stops when Raihan pauses. He just wants to make sure it’s not someone important, like Chairman Rose or something.

Raihan peeks through the crack in the stall, and his stomach drops when he sees Leon.

At his reaction, Piers leans back and peeks through the crack on his side of the stall. He purses his lips in understanding and pulls back his hand from underneath Raihan’s shirt to cross his arms and lean against the other side of the stall. Raihan mirrors the movement, backing away from the door, trying not to draw attention to the stall.

The faucet turns on and off. A sigh, then, softly, “What am I doing?”

A few more seconds and clothes shuffling, and then footsteps start to echo away toward the direction of the exit.

And then suddenly, a pause.

Raihan holds his breath and looks down.

Shit.

Their shoes. Their stupid fucking trademark shoes. Piers’ boots and Raihan’s huge sneakers that Leon would be able to recognize in an instant.

“Really?” is all Leon says flatly before leaving.

Raihan’s body moves before he can think. In a mess of limbs, he tumbles out of the stall and out of the bathroom and chases after Leon, nearly tripping over his feet on the way.

“Leon!” he exclaims in a rushed breath.

The man keeps walking. 

“Leon, wait!”

“I have nothing to say to you,” spits Leon.

Panic starts to swell up inside Raihan. He hates seeing Leon’s back, on the battlefield or elsewhere, and he can’t stand the thought of only ever seeing it from here on out.

“I...” Raihan swallows. “I didn’t want to hook up with Piers.”

“Oh, yeah?” Leon barks out a laugh. “‘cause that’s not what it looked like.”

“I didn’t, I didn’t want it to be him.” Raihan pauses and then takes a chance. “I wanted it... to be you.”

Finally, Leon turns around. His eyes are dark, and his face is contorted in anger and hurt. Out of all the years they’ve known each other, Raihan’s never seen him look like that before.

“Go on,” Leon says quietly.

Sighing, Raihan says, “I saw you dancing with someone else back there and I... I just got so mad, I... I don’t want to think about anyone else with you.”

A slight drop in Leon’s stiff shoulders. His eyes have lost a little of their burning flare. 

Raihan continues, “I can’t stop thinking about you.”

Leon exhales sharply, not quite a sigh, not quite a scoff.

Still with that furrowed brow, he brushes past Raihan, but not before huffing out a “Follow me.”

—

Raihan closes the door behind him once they’re both inside Leon’s hotel room. Leon’s always put in the best rooms—perks of being the Champion, he supposes.

Leon sets his hat down on the desk and then turns to his guest with his arms crossed.

“So, you wanted it to be me, huh?” he says, almost challenging. After years of battling him, Raihan can detect that edge in his tone.

Stepping closer, Raihan answers, “Yeah.”

“How far did you get with him?”

“Not far.”

“Good.”

The kiss is immediately familiar, and Raihan sighs in relief at the familiar taste and scent, at the familiar touch of Leon’s strong arm muscles, at the familiar tug and pull of their clothes and then their clambering onto the bed in a mess of limbs and passion. He thought he’d lost it all, this, but here it was, again, in his arms, underneath him, as he buries deep into Leon, tastes the sweat on his neck, hears Leon’s grunts and groans melting with his own until they reach that all-too-familiar peak.

He missed it so much. He never wants to lose this again.

“So,” Leon says after they’ve cleaned up a bit. His tone is considerably lighter now, and he even smiles a bit while looking at Raihan, smiles at him for the first time that night. “So, you couldn’t stop thinking about me, huh?”

Looking at Leon next to him, so comfortable, so happy, Raihan can’t help thinking that he never wants to give Leon a reason not to look at him like that again, like he’s the light of the world.

But at the same time, he doesn’t know if he deserves it all, the attention, the praise.

Raihan can’t stop the hesitation from seeping into his tone when he stutters, “Y-yeah.”

Leon’s eyebrow twitches at the hesitation. A previously easy smile quickly morphs into a frown, and the air tenses up almost immediately.

“Are you serious right now?” Leon says, terse, starting to sit up. “You said before that you didn’t want to lead me on, and you go and do this?”

“I—”

“Get out, Raihan, just get out.”

The interruption, sudden shift in atmosphere, and clashing emotions within him after everything that’s happened is enough to make something flare up inside Raihan.

Ripping himself off the bed, Raihan snaps, “Why did you have to—”

“Me? Me?” Leon exclaims, stabbing a finger at his chest. “So I’m to blame for all this?”

“Yeah!” Raihan can’t help himself now, he’s too frustrated. “Everything was fine, we were fine, and then you had to go and have feelings for me and fuck everything up!”

Leon deflates a bit, lowering his hand. He maintains a steady, pointed gaze at Raihan and hisses, “Well, I’m sorry if my feelings inconvenienced you. I’ll be sure to keep that in mind the next time I hook up with someone.”

It stings. It hits right where it hurts.

Throwing on his clothes, Raihan leaves in an absolute mess of emotions.


	6. Chapter 6

This time, Raihan knows full well that he fucked up.

He shouldn’t have said what he’d said, especially not after he’d had what he wanted right in his hands. To be fair, he didn’t know that’s what he wanted until he’d had it and lost it. Until he’d seen Leon’s crestfallen face at his ugly words that left a bad aftertaste in his mouth. 

Feeling this unbearable, aching emptiness in his heart, Raihan knows now that he does want this. He’s been an absolute idiot, denying himself all this time without even realizing it. Not only had he been blind to Leon’s feelings, but he’s been blind to his own, thanks to his habitual pushback over the year to anything more than just surface level lust for his own convenience. But is it too late now to fix this? Has too much damage been done?

The bass of the pre-show music echoes off the walls of the Wyndon Stadium locker room. Some people mingle about—Gym Leaders, special guests, and press—all waiting for the exhibition match of the new League to start. As people go in and out of the room, the roar of the crowd flitters in in scattered bursts. The stark changes in volume is disorienting, but the noise is welcome to drown out Raihan’s thoughts and the pain in his chest.

As Raihan’s sitting on a locker room bench, head between his knees, he first sees a pair of gray boots step into his view before hearing a familiar gruff voice ask, “You all right?”

He lifts his head to see Piers, not with a look of disgust, as he very well could have, but with a look of muted concern. It’s sort of a relief that Raihan hasn’t fucked up two of his friendships that badly.

Letting out a weak scoff, Raihan answers, “Do I have to answer?”

Piers takes that as an invitation and sits down next to him on the bench. He smells of cigarettes and metal.

A beat, then Raihan says, a bit embarrassed, “Hey, I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be,” Piers replies. “I knew what I was getting myself into.”

It’s a little awkward, but Raihan’s too exhausted to care, and he can’t feel any lower of himself than he already does.

Standing back up, Piers says, “I have to get back to my sister. Just wanted to check in on you.” He gives Raihan a pat on the shoulder. “Kill it out there.”

Raihan’s voice sounds far away when he responds, “I always do.”

With Piers gone, he’s back to just being in this echo chamber, surrounded by people but feeling so alone. There could be a hundred people around him, but it wouldn’t fill the gaping hole inside him, threatening to eat him up from the inside out. He could have all the people in the world, and it wouldn’t matter, because it’s not the one person he wants.

As if on queue, the door opens and a bustling, loud crowd enters with Leon at its center. Leon, complete in his Champion uniform and that bloody cape, a stern look on his face. The entourage of press, crew, and management usher him through the locker room to the stadium exit.

Where Leon used to throw him a grin and a smart quip, this time he doesn’t look at Raihan once the whole way through.

Something inside Raihan twists and folds into itself. His stomach is in knots and he can’t seem to remember how to breathe, but Chairman Rose’s speech is almost done, so he lets out a deep sigh and makes his way over to the entrance to the stadium.

“Kibana.”

Raihan looks to his side. It’s Kabu, of course, the only person to call him by the name the fans from Hoenn call him.

Kabu maintains his steady gaze forward at the green of the stadium and says in that calm observatory way of his, “It’s not like you to be nervous before a match.”

All Raihan can do is lower his head and hum slightly.

The roar of the crowd washes over them as the Champion walks onto the field. It’s a roar that pushes him back, pushes him away. He needs to swim with that wave, but he doesn’t know if he can at this point.

“Do you know what you need to do?”

Raihan takes a glance at Kabu, who’s still not looking at him, but apparently seeing right through him. They both know Kabu’s not talking about the eager crowd in front of them. Something about being so clearly seen, especially by someone who’s older, makes Raihan feel stripped away, vulnerable, almost like a child. 

He’s almost on the brink of tears when he stammers, “I... I don’t know.”

“No,” Kabu says sharply, finally turning to look at his peer. “Not, ‘are you scared to do it?’ Do you know what you need to do?”

Maybe it’s the comfort of having someone older asking him, almost like a coach or a mentor, but suddenly all doubt and worry inside him fizzles away.

With a clear mind for once in the past few weeks, Raihan says, with certainty, “Yeah.”

Kabu nods and says, “Good,” before gesturing to the cheering stadium with a polite open hand.

Raihan steels himself and steps forward.

—

The match is good—a great show, naturally, and Leon looks brilliant as usual, even if there is a little bit of an edge to him this time. It’s just barely there, in his movements and his tone, enough to hitch the tension in the atmosphere, but it’s a great, new energy for the audience, so the crowd loves it.

Afterward, in the contrast of the quiet, empty locker room, Raihan takes a deep breath and walks over to Leon sitting on a bench.

“Hey...” Raihan tries weakly. “That, uh, that was a good match, yeah?”

Leon glances at him out of the corner of his eye but otherwise continues to tie his shoelaces on the bench.

Kabu’s words burn in Raihan’s memory. Taking a chance, Raihan lets down his guard and speaks honestly.

“I miss you.”

Leon pauses, and his hard look falters a bit. With still somewhat of a guarded expression, Leon finally looks at him and says, with a bite in his voice, “Are you just saying that to get a quick fuck out of me again?”

“No, no,” Raihan says, flustered. “And that’s not what happened last time.”

“Oh yeah?”

“No, I meant it, I meant what I said last time.”

“About what, about me fucking this up?”

“No, about—about wanting it to be you,” Raihan sighs, frustrated. This is going terribly. “I always want it to be you.”

Leon drops his gaze back down to his shoe.

Raihan continues, “I only want it to be you.”

Leon lets out a hollow laugh. “Am I really supposed to believe that?”

“I... yes?” Raihan tries, offering a weak smile.

Shaking his head, Leon stands up from the bench. Watching Leon gather his things to leave tugs at Raihan’s heart in a way he’s never felt before.

Quietly, hesitantly, Raihan asks, “Do you... still feel the same way about me?”

Leon sighs and gives him a tired look. “Does it matter?”

“Sure, it does. If you still feel that way, then maybe...” Raihan suddenly can only look anywhere but the person he’s speaking to. “Maybe we can... I mean, it’s been a while since I’ve done this, but... I can give it a shot, if... if that’s what you want.”

“Is it what you want?”

Leon’s looking right at him, really looking at him, for the first time all night, for the first time in weeks. There’s no more bullshitting, no more careless flirting. Only the truth, no matter how scary it is.

Swallowing, Raihan nods and says, “Yeah.”

“Are you sure?”

“Come on, man,” Raihan whines, shuffling his weight on his feet restlessly. “Are you really going to make me say it?”

“Yes.”

Raihan laughs lightly, feeling like the wind has swept him off his feet, just feeling pure “fuck it” energy running through his veins.

The only way he can go through this is by going over the top to mask his embarrassment, so he clears his throat and prepares his best dramatic tone.

“Will you, dear Leon...” He offers his hand like a gentleman, palm facing upward, and softens his ridiculous tone to a more genuine one. “... go on a proper date with me?”

Finally, finally, Leon cracks a smile. A few chuckles bubble out past his lips until finally, he’s laughing hard, grinning ear to ear. It’s music to Raihan’s ears, and it smooths out the knots that have been in his stomach.

Waving his empty upturned hand, Raihan teases, “Uh, hello, you’re leaving me hangin’ here.”

“Sorry, sorry,” Leon says, chasing away the last of his laughs and wiping the corner of his eyes. He takes Raihan’s hand in his and squeezes. “I’d be happy to.”

Raihan returns the squeeze and then pulls Leon in for a kiss. It’s the softest, sweetest kiss they’ve ever shared.

“Took you long enough to come ‘round,” Leon murmurs against Raihan’s lips.

Raihan bumps his forehead against Leon’s. “I’m sorry you had to wait.” 

—

The Galar League is a rush this time around. Challengers come in and out of Gyms, Badges are given out left and right, and crews run back and forth from their local Pokémon Centers to their respective Gyms as they run through challenge after challenge. 

After an exhilarating Champion Cup, after Leon once again defends his title with a flashy battle, he and Raihan are finally able to have a moment’s peace on the walk back to the hotel in the quiet of a Wyndon night.

“So, when are you going to take me on that proper date?” Leon teases, smiling gently.

Raihan laughs. “You know, not all of us have been kickin’ back during the Gym Challenge. Some of us have actually been busy.”

“Hey, I’ve been busy.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah, busy thinking about this date,” Leon jokes, grinning wide. “Thing is, we’ve hung out together so much as just friends that I’m not sure what we could do for it to be special.”

“Hmm,” Raihan hums, tilting his head back to look up at the night sky. “I was actually thinking... maybe we could go to Hoenn.”

“Hoenn?”

“Yeah. We could take a trip together.”

Leon blinks. “Do you really think they’d let us do that, with our schedules and all?”

“I think so. Galar’s trying to put itself on the map right now, and no one will object to the Champion and a Gym Leader taking a tour.” Raihan smirks and elbows Leon. “‘sides, we can see some Pokémon Contests, see what Kabu’s always goin’ on about.”

“Kabu?”

“Yeah, I owe him one.”

“For what?”

“Don’t worry about it.”

”Uh-huh,” Leon says, giving him an unimpressed look before looking down in thought. “Hoenn, huh?”

“Is there a problem?”

“No, I just...” A nervous glance to the side and a nervous smile. “An overnight trip is sort of a big deal, is it not?”

Rolling his eyes, Raihan drawls, “Calm your knickers, it’s not like I’m taking you to Alola and proposing to you or something.”

“Hm, now there’s a thought.”

“Eh?”

“Nothing,” Leon says, grinning like a kid. “Hoenn sounds great. When are we leaving?”

As they finally reach the entrance to the hotel, Raihan shrugs. “I’m ready whenever you are.”

Leon opens the door and gestures inside. “After you.”

Raihan rolls his eyes again, smiling lightly, and walks inside with his partner. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For everyone who’s stuck with me till the end: thank you!
> 
> And again, I’d love to make some friends, so feel free to follow me on Twitter at my name with a j instead of a gg. :)


End file.
